I’ve been searching for lower cost weeknight meals these black bean tostadas were a hit with the family! Of course you can use canned refried beans and jarred salsa…but I like to make my own doctored-up black beans with homemade salsa.
Here are the recipes:
Black Beans
2 tsp. vegetable oil
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
salt and black pepper to taste
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds.
3. Add the black beans and spices and cook for 5-10 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash about half of the beans in the pan, then mix it all together. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Salsa
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
4 garlic cloves peeled
2 to 3 dried chiles de árbol stemmed, keep the seeds (more for heat)
2 teaspoons oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
1. Combine the tomatoes, garlic and chiles de árbol in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes and garlic are completely soft and the chiles are plump and rehydrated.
2. Transfer to a blender with 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the oregano, tomato paste and salt, and puree until completely smooth.
3. Heat the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the tomato puree, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture has thickened & darkened a bit. Turn off the heat.
Tostadas
1. Layout Tostada shells on a sheet pan.
2. Layer on some beans, a generous spoonful of salsa, and some pepper jack cheese.
3. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes at 350.
4. Top with sour cream, lettuce, cilantro, onion & avocado
I served this with Mexican rice for the family and made Mexican cauliflower rice for me.
Everyone wants this again soon!
